Welcoming Change
by LilyGhost
Summary: After hearing that Stephanie had a less than ideal day, Ranger aims to not only improve her night, but also their future.
**Everybody and anything familiar belongs to Janet.**

I don't give a crap that it's only four o'clock in the afternoon. I came home, peeled off my soaking wet jeans, t-shirt, and everything under them, and threw it all into a wet pile on my bathroom floor. I'll deal with the mess later ... or maybe _never_.

The only thing that made my day suck less is I remembered a key ingredient to my impending happiness on the way home from dropping my skip's bony and belligerent ass off at the police station. I'd discovered this morning an unopened roll of chocolate chip cookie dough that must've fallen behind the bag of ice I'd stuck in there, which is currently the only other edible thing in my freezer. I'd forgotten the dough log was there ... a prosecutable crime in the Plum world, but my sucky memory worked in my favor because I really, _really_ need some chocolate today, not to mention all the dough that it's stuck in.

Stupid Morelli had been coming out of an interrogation room and had me going for his jugular with one comment about my wet t-shirt ... like it was _my_ friggin' fault a cloud cracked wide open just as I was dragging my FTA to my car, almost drowning us both with sheets of freezing cold rain.

"Go home and get dry," my friend Eddie Gazarra told me, keeping a two-handed grip on my upper arms while also blocking me from Joe's view. "I'll have a word with him, but not until you're safely out of the line of fire."

"Can you write that 'word' on your knuckles and then shove them _really_ hard into his stomach?" I asked, not feeling any friendlier even with Eddie trying to transfer calming vibes to me through his current death grip.

"If he doesn't promise to shut up about you, I will."

That made me smile and I kissed his cheek in a gesture of thanks. Okay ... so I may have also done it to piss Joe off even more, since my lips have been off limits to him for over three weeks now.

"Thanks, Eddie," I said. "I owe you."

"No you don't. Head home, get warm, and cool off."

"Will do."

After another soaking wet dash to my car, I drove straight back to my apartment, not wanting to deal with either Connie or Lula even to get my capture money. I stayed in my kitchen only long enough to give Rex a treat before switching my clothes for pjs and ditching my day altogether. I figure just because my hamster stays in pretty much the same spot, doesn't mean he didn't have a crappy day and required a snack to feel better, too.

I grabbed the frozen cookie dough roll and a butter knife, and went back to bed to eat it. I'm still cold, irritated, and hungry ... and I'm planning on solving those problems using as few dishes as possible.

I had a good-size chunk of chocolate chip goodness in my mouth, and a quarter of the package already inside my stomach, by the time Ranger appeared in my bedroom. If this had been a planned visit, I might have rethought the dough for fear of the health lecture he'd feel compelled to share with me. He's already seen what I'm holding, though, so I continued to chew as I looked at him. I really have no idea why he's currently standing by my bed, but I can admit to myself that I'm more than a little happy he is.

"Get up," he ordered

"No," I said, prying off another chunk to stuff in my mouth.

"Babe."

"I'm finally warm and I have the rest of this dough to eat now that it's no longer helping to keep my body in the hypothermic range. You know I'm always glad to see you, but I don't feel like moving right now ... and you can't make me."

That was a _really_ stupid thing to say because he snatched the knife and cookie dough out of my hands, yanked my blankets back, and picked me up before I realized he was even about to move.

"Okay, so you _can_ make me," I said in defeat. "I guess I'm getting up after all."

He didn't let me down either until we were in my bathroom. Even then, he only put me on my feet so he could go root around in my closet. A slinky black dress quickly flew through the open door. I managed to catch it just before it hit the floor. The skimpiest bra and panty set I own also took an unplanned flight from my bedroom into the bathroom, along with my favorite black FMPs. One, then the other, landed with a dull clack on my ugly linoleum floor. He purposely aimed low so my eyes wouldn't get poked out by the pencil thin heels.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Right now, I'm telling you to put all of that on."

"Why?"

"Because we're going out?"

"Again ... _why?_ "

"I heard from my source at the TPD that you had a shitty day, and you shouldn't have to sit alone in your apartment eating raw food in an attempt to forget it."

"I'm not _alone_ , Rex is in the kitchen. And you eat raw stuff all the time."

"My raw food consists of vegetables, which aren't likely to be listed as the cause of my death."

"That cookie dough was sitting in my freezer for almost two weeks before I pulled it out, so any germs in it would've frozen to death by now."

"Get dressed."

"Most men would _ask_ a woman out," I informed him.

"And most women wouldn't argue about a man wanting to take them somewhere they'll enjoy. Put the dress and shoes on. I'm okay if you'd like to skip the underwear."

"Jeez ... if you're in this kind of mood _now_ , I'm not sure I'll survive the dinner conversation."

He took a step towards me and I immediately put the door between us. I have no doubt that he'll 'help' me out of my pjs if I don't take them off myself. I wouldn't mind that, but things always feel uncomfortably unsettled for a few days after we have sex. And sex is _always_ at the forefront of my mind whenever Ranger touches me.

"I don't hear you getting dressed," was said through the door.

"Maybe if you'd get your ear _off_ the door ... I could."

I can picture him grinning right about now. But I did hurry up and put the underwear, dress, and FMPs, on in case the door actually opened next time. To get back at him a little for bossing me around even if it's for my own good, I took a fair amount of time putting on my war paint ... two coats of mascara, some carefully applied eyeliner, and I did a smokey eye with different colored shadows so they'd be more noticeable if he made me narrow them. My hair I left down after a quick hit with the blow dryer, since Ranger's hands wind up in it whenever we're alone for longer than three seconds.

I pulled open the bathroom door just as his hand was raised to bang on it. "I'm ready. Where are we going?"

He kissed my temple before scanning me from head to toe. Only then did he decided to answer me.

"As always, you look beautiful. And you'll see when we get there."

"Is this going to be better than cookie dough?" I asked.

"To you? Yes," he said, placing a hand on my almost bare back to move me closer to the door so I could grab a dry coat and my bag.

He must have pulled some major strings to get the rain to finally stop. And it wasn't surprising that he knew the perfect place to take me in order to cheer me. He drove over the NJ/NY border and pulled up to a funky little bar in a building that reminds me of a better version of my own apartment building.

We sat down and he ordered for me before I had a chance to fully study and appreciate the menu. But in one glance, I could tell that this is essentially a bar, but the difference is they pair a few desserts with cocktails that complement them.

"If I haven't said so before," I told Ranger when we were alone, and after I was able to read everything they offer here, "I completely love you. They even have something called _'The Babe_ '."

"That one's too potent for _my_ Babe. You've never said outright that you love me. Even it being said in a joking way, I'll take."

"I wasn't joking. What are _you_ going to have?" I quickly asked, before we ruined a good time by getting too personal.

It's a legitimate question, too, because I didn't see a lot of fat/taste-free options on the menu.

"A glass of wine. If you're hungry after what you have here, we can stop somewhere else and have an actual dinner."

I started to feel bad. "You don't have to do this for me. We can go someplace where they'll have food you can eat, too, so you can also enjoy yourself."

"I _am_ enjoying myself. You being happy creates a ripple effect, so relax and try to forget everything that happened today up until I arrived."

"I was beginning to think my breasts were the center of the universe ... after hearing first my skip, then Morelli, mention them, but leave it to _you_ to know that my stomach is the epicenter of my universe."

Truth is, I've already forgotten the first half of my day just from talking to him. Ranger calms me down and makes me instantly feel better in a way not even an old friend like Eddie can. Banishing Morelli and the last of my self-pity from my mind happened when my order came out. I cut my eyes to Ranger. He'd asked for a glass of Cabernet for himself - which I know I'll likely end up finishing for him - and he got me something way better.

"You purposely ordered cake for me?" I asked, looking at the three-layered, pink-frosted and rainbow-sprinkled, slice of birthday cake that came with a glass of ice-cold champagne.

I took a sip and realized it's the really good stuff, too.

"Consider this a step up from a plastic-wrapped and artificially-flavored dough log."

"It's not just a ' _step up'_... it's a _mountain climb_ away from it."

"Dig in before the champagne hits your system."

"You don't know how much I needed this," I told him.

"I do know. And Morelli's a douche, so forget about him, too."

" _That_ I've done already. If I can just stop myself from reacting to - and getting annoyed by- him, I'd have it made."

"He's nothing to you now, otherwise you'd be thinking about him even when you haven't had any contact with him."

"Hmmm, I never thought of that. The only time I remember he exists when he's not standing directly in front of me ... is when I hear his voice calling me stupid on a day like this one. And even _that_ is usually followed quickly by me asking myself why I _was_ so stupid to think staying with him was a good idea when we both seemed to hate it."

"You aren't stupid, Babe. He was just the rut you were stuck in until you were strong enough to get yourself free from it."

"I didn't feel very 'strong' today."

"That will pass. You'll get a good night's sleep and then go right back to being a badass in the morning."

I laughed around a chunk of cake. "I'd settle for non-bumbling," I told him, forking a bite of the incredible cake into his mouth while I swallowed mine

It seemed rude not to share.

I momentarily lost my train of thought as he wiped away a non-existent bit of frosting from his mouth with his tongue. I know exactly what that tongue feels like on, and in, my body and I suddenly couldn't remember what the cake tasted like.

"You're doing it again," he said to me.

"Doing what?"

"Picturing me naked."

I shrugged. "I can't help it. Have you seen _you_?"

"Yes."

"So you know what I mean."

"I do. I feel the same when it comes to you minus your clothes."

My eyebrows lifted. "How often do you think about _that_?"

"Nightly. And since you and Morelli split, it's been at least once an hour on top of that."

" _Nightly_? Is that why you have a habit of appearing in my bedroom during non-daylight hours?"

"No. My 'visits' are more for my peace of mind than my desire to try to catch you naked."

"Are you kidding?"

"Partly. I always hope to see you stepping out of the shower, but my motivation stems more from wanting to assure myself that you've survived your mother, your ex, and your day."

My eyes suddenly started stinging and I put my fork and my glass down. "You really care about me, don't you?"

"Yes. Does that surprise you?"

I thought about that for a second. "No ... it doesn't, considering everything you do for me. _This_ is only one example of that. I was just having a typical Stephanie Plum kind of day and you break into my apartment just to make it better."

"I did make it better."

"Yep," I said, taking another bite of my non-birthday, birthday cake, "you've improved _a lot_ of things ... not just my mood and my day. Thank you."

"Anytime, Babe."

"How about Friday?"

"Are _you_ asking _me_ out?"

"Would you say yes to a date if I was?" I asked him.

"Yes."

"So ... we can go an actual dinner date this week?"

"I'm free whenever you are."

"You'd stick Tank with extra work just to spend some time with me?"

"It won't be the first time."

"I can just meet you at Rangeman when you're done for the day. As much fun as it could be to torture Tank, we don't really have to. Rex will understand me not hanging around the apartment keeping him company."

"You can always bring him with you and you both could stay the night," he suggested.

"You'd let Rex in your apartment?"

"If his aquarium on my counter ensures you'll be in my bed ... then he's being given an open invitation."

"What if I'm worried about sleeping with you again?"

"Then you'll get my promise to mostly keep my hands to myself and my underwear on. You can have endless hot water for your shower, half of my bed, and food made by Ella, even if you don't want me."

I drained my champagne glass before tackling that one. "I've _always_ wanted, and will probably always want you, but that scares the crap out of me."

"Fortunately for me, you face your fears head on."

"Is that euphemism for something?"

"No."

"So we're discussing something more ... _involved_ than just dessert, dinner, and an overnight stay?" I asked him, pressing my fork into the three crumbs left on my plate so I wouldn't appear like I'm internally freaking out as I waited for his answer.

"Yes. I'll provide cookie dough, champagne, or birthday cake every night for the rest of your life if you'd like."

"While that _does_ sound good, they aren't necessary. You're more than enough for me."

"You mean that?"

"Yep. You said yourself that I'm stronger now, so I think I can handle you."

"Was _that_ a euphemism?" He repeated my question back to me.

"Yeah. You can read anything into that and still be right. I'm willing to try doing everything differently with you this time ... no assuming things and no running away from what I feel."

His eyes got even darker. "Are you coming home with me tonight?"

"Yes. And it's possible that you're going to have a hard time getting rid of me and Rex afterwards."

"You're welcome to me and my home for as long as you want either of us."

I pushed my dishes away. "You don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?" He said, moving his barely touched wine glass out of the way so he could put his forearms flat on the table.

"The _only_ reason I didn't dump Morelli and make a beeline straight to you after we slept together, is because I knew I wouldn't be able to walk away from you if you didn't want something permanent with me. I couldn't risk that kind of hurt. If I would've known I had a say in the length of our 'relationship', I would've handcuffed myself to you before DeChooch and Abruzzi ever entered our lives."

"You knew you loved me then?" He asked, taking my hand in his and lacing our fingers together.

"Long before then. When you started to seriously flirt with me, I knew I was a goner if I didn't put some type of wall between us."

"Morelli?"

"I wasn't happy with him, and I pissed him off more days than not, so the only thing that makes sense is that he and I were using each other to avoid facing the bigger picture."

"What about now?"

"You don't even have to flirt to get me to agree to give you whatever you want from me," I admitted.

"Are we stopping for dinner on the way back to Trenton?"

"Not unless you're hungry."

"I am, but not for food," he informed me.

"For me?"

"Always am. Always will be."

"Rex will be fine for one night ... we can pick him up tomorrow."

"If the rodent's all set, what do you say we stay in town and head back in the morning instead?"

"And both be no-shows at work?"

"I can get an immediate penthouse suite for us in a hotel I guarantee you'll also enjoy," he answered.

I deliberately pushed my chair back. "I'm ready."

His lips twitched. "That's the second time you've said that to me tonight."

"I meant it both times, too. And I have a feeling I'll be saying it to you a couple more times before this night's over."

I _am_ ready for him ... and any changes he wants to make to my life.

 **A/N: The place Ranger took Stephanie is based on the bar &bakery called Butter&SCOTCH.**


End file.
